Nonprofits across the country are navigating a landscape defined by complexity—interlocking and entrenched social issues, shifting funding patterns, and rising expectations from communities, funders, and policymakers. In this environment, collaboration is no longer simply “nice to have.” It is a strategic imperative.

2025 has seen seismic shifts in the nonprofit world. Federal funding cuts have rippled across the sector, while political rhetoric has turned nonprofits—especially those focused on equity, inclusion, and social justice—into lightning rods for criticism.  An October 6th Urban Institute report analyzing survey data from its "2025 Nonprofit Trends and Impacts Study" found that more than a third of nonprofits reported disruptions in federal, state, or local government funding. O